Ornamentation of wood-fiber surfaces



Aug. 24 1926. 1,597,539

E. E. NOVOTNY El AL I ORNAMENTATION 0F WOOD FIBER SURFACES Filed Feb. 21, 1924 IMPREGNATED TRANSPARENT FACE SHEET IM PR EGNATED ORNAMENT/XL SHEET Tic. 2. ,7

v IMPREGNATED IMPREGNATED BARRIER SHEET E OF LAMINATED SH 5 |NVENTQR$ Erml ENovoTng Charles J. Rormeux Patented its. 24, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EIIL E. NOVOTNY, OF LOGAN, PHILADELPHIA, LN D CHARLES J. BOHIEUX, OI PHILL- DILIHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOBS '10 JOHN BTOGEDELL STOKES, OI HUNTING- DON VALLEY POST OFFICE, PENNSYLVANIA.

' ONNAHENTATION OI WOOD- FIBER SURFACES.

Application filed February more, the varnishes or resins which we aremost particularly interested in are'those of a synthetic nature such as, for example, phenolic condensation products, and more particularly those types of resinous substances which are capable of undergoing chemical reaction or which set under the.

action of heat or heat and pressure. 7 In our co-pending algplication filed February 5, 1924, Serial 0. 690,881, we have described generally a method of surfacing with synthetic resin ornamental or useful wood faces. Through actual laboratory e-xperimentation, however, we have made certain further developments which are particularly essential in order to simplify operations and to produce results which are more desirable. Unless a relatively large amount of synthetic resin varnish is applied to the face of wood surfaces it is practically impossible to thoroughly and uniformly coat such surface which is essential in order that moisture absorption may be reduced to a minimum and at the same time that the grain and surface finish of such articles will not be marred and impaired through un-uniform flow or impregnation. Furthermore, when a relatively thick coat of varnish is applied and is precured so that practically no lateral flow will be had, such varnish coat lacks in mechanical strength, and surface checking and crazing will invariably result. When a relatively thin coat of varnish is applied, surface checking can be eliminated, but, on the other hand, the wood will be un-uniformly surfaced, resulting in.

21, 1824. Serial No. 804,392.

which has been im bregnated with a s nthetic resin such as urite and precure to the point where just the right degree of flow will be had on the surface of previously coated or impregnated wood veneer, and

pressingthese together with or without a further supporting body, we will secure a uniformly brilliant, transparent coating which will be resistant to moisture and ordinary solvents, andwhich will allow the grain of the wood to show through in whatever effect is desired. I

If such veneer and transparent facing sheet are coated or impregnated with a suitable colored varnish, it will be readily apparent that either single or double tone effects and tints can be produced b means of this combination of faces. Furt ermore, if the veneer sheet is inlaid with various borders, patterns or designs in different Woods or grains, or if borders or designs are attached to the transparent facing sheet or printed or otherwise formed thereon, the combination can be worked out to produce various artistic efl'ects. In the highest grade of wood finishing it is not desirable to bring out the grain in its full, direct sharpness, but, on the contrary, variousrfillers are used which are applied in such a manner that various shadings and effects are obtained through the manipulation of the wood finisher by'the use of suitable fillers and stains Of "course, the wood veneer or wood surface we treat with the synthetic resin face can likewise be filled or stained in any suitable manner in order to'bring out particular effects desired. \Ve

whe the synthetic resin face on the wood iissembly again formed against the surface plates under the action of heat and ishes'will'be produced.

Where shar 1y defined grain effects" are pressure, highly artistic, velvety surface fin-' desired, a sing e pressing is all that is neces is, from the standpoint of appearance and brilliancy of finish, radically different from that obtained by means of a single pressing, although, from the standpoint of protection and durability of finish, both methods will produce the same useful result.

To more thoroughly stress the point of superimposing a sheet of transparent, impregnated paper on to the impregnated or varnished sheet of wood or wood veneer, we wish it to be understood that this method eliminates checking for the superimposition of a definite film of uniform thickness of synthetic resin and a fibrous body of highly transparent characterto be formed and attached to the surface of wood, thus giving a greater protection than could "otherwise be done were only a varnished coat formed thereon.

Although it may bereadily understood that this surfacemay be formed on an integral body of any kind, it should likewise be understood that this surface ma be applied likewise to an extremel thin bod When applied to an extreme y thin bo y and when the back is preferably treated so that it mayreadily be glued or cemented, it will be readil understood that this prepared wood sur acing is, in fact, a pre-finished facing which may be cemented to wood or other supports in the same manner as ordinary wood veneer is now cemented.

However, when our prepared veneer is used,

filling, staining, varnishing and rubbing, such as is practiced now by the wood finisher, may be entirely, or substantially so, eliminafled, and we have therefore developed for the art a re-finished surfacing which is moisture resistant and is not affected by ordinary solvents, will stand violent changes in temperature without cracking or blistering, br ng be *ut out in suitable patterns to produce and crazing and allows and which may be cheaply a pliedto.-.'various sheets out the various effects or w ich mayposite body.

mamas any inlay effects the wood worker may desire. Not onlyv is the material suitable for wood-working, metal coatin etc.-, but it may likewise be applied as a wal covering inasmuch as some of the wood veneers we use are solvents is all taken care of in the resin impregnated transparent facing sheet of great durability'and strength, the veneer itself being there only for the purpose of giving the natural tone, color and grain. In other words, the wood veneer supplies the ornamentation whereas the impregnated transparent facing sheet supplies the resisting coating and the two are combined and finished by merely mechanically pressing against suitable surface plates.

It will be understood that other materials besideswood or wood veneers can be thus advantageously treated. Mention can be made that other materials, such as cloth, leather, etc., are just as useful from the standpoint of ornamentation, and, furthermore, that even combinations of these may be used in order to enhance or bring out certain effects in combination with the wood veneer so that a combination of wood veneer and leather or wood veneer, leather and cloth can be worked into particular designs as the'work in band would seem to warrant.

Another advantage which accrues from the use of a molded or pressed up composite sheet of wood veneer lies in the fact that it is possible to mold these materials into various shapes other than flat sheets, which will help in the matter of applying this type of veneering to various surfaces. For example, 1t is possible to mold and form this material into various curves and angles which culties the cabinet-maker has to contend with when using OIdlIlfll? types of wood veneer for the surfacing, or example, of a table top. Usually, where a table top is veneered, it is always possible to see a gap or o ning where the veneer of one face Joins t e veneer of the other face.

So that our invention may be better understood, we are giving herein certain examples for illustrative pur oses. It should be understood, however, t at wide departures can be made from these examples.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the going to make up thecom- Fig. 21s

a c gss sectional view taken III through the composite body when the sheets have been united.

Example J.-Where it is desired to produce a laminated synthetic resin structure faced with a wood veneer finish and possessing a highly polished, deep and velvety finish, the following method may be employed. A sheet of thin wood veneer mounted on paper'indicated by the numeral 1 is impregnated or coated with a varnish consisting of 90 parts of phenol-furfural resin and 10 parts of phenol-benzaldehyde resin. The alcohol is evaporated therefrom and the sheet is partially pre-reacted by heating to,

say, a temperature of 260 F. for a period of 10 to 20 minutes. A suitable sheet of paper or fibrous material shown at 2 is impre nated with phenol-furfural resin varnis the alcohol is evaporated therefrom by the usual means, and the resin therein is caused to react to partial infusibility by heating at a temperature of 300 to 320 F. for a period of 5 to 10 minutes. This second sheet is used as a barrier to prevent the flow of resin from the interior into the veneer face of the laminated structure, as described in our copending application filed February 5, 1924, Serial No. 690,881. This barrier sheet is then placed on the top of a base of any desired number of superimposed impregnated sheets of paper shown at 3, then the mounted and impregnated wood veneer with the veneer face upwards is superimposed upon the barrier sheet, and the composite material between polished lates is subjected to combined action of cat and pressure in the manner usually employed for such laminated phenolic condensation products. A sheet of thin tissue paper .001 to .002 thick shown at 4 is impregnated and coated with a varnish consisting of a mixture of equal parts of phenol-furfural and phenolbenzaldehyde resins. The alcohol is evaporated therefrom and the sheet is partially reacted by exposing to atemperature of 260 F. or thereabouts, for a period of 10 to 20 minutes. This tissue sheet is then placed upon the surface of the veneered structure which is again pressed and heated between suitably polished plates. The product thus obtained and shown in cross-section in Fig. 2 possesses a very lossy, smooth, and mirror-like finish. ere desired, both faces of the laminated structure may be treated as herein described. We find that it is not necessary to limit ourselves to the exact proportion of benzaldehyde and furfural resins given in the examples, but we do find that the presence of even a low percentage of benzaldehyde resin causes the furfural resin to become uite trans arent. Where pure ben-' zaldehy e is emp oyed, however, we find that it checks and cracks excessivelv, but the presence of even a small amount of furfural resin will overcome this objection.

Example .i-Where it is not desired to obtain as high a finish, the operations described in example 1 may be conducted in one stage; that 1s, the successive layers described in example 1, i. e., the barrier, the mounted and impregnated veneer sheet, and the impregnated tissue sheet may be assembled and the whole mass pressed under the action of heat. By this method the veneer surface is as well protected and coated as in example 1, but where ver high grade finishes are desired, we pre er to employ the procedure previously described.

Example 3.Where it is desired to apply the wood veneer treated as described in the previous examples, to a structure other than one of laminated phenolic character, we may proceed as follows: Previous to pressin the various sheets are assembled in the fodlowing order: first, an unimpregnated sheet of porous paper; secondly, a barrier sheet; thirdly, a veneer sheet, and fourthly, a tissue sheet, all treated as described in the previous examples. These assembled sheets are then subjected to the action of heat and pressure with a suitably polishel plate in contact with the upper or tissue sheet. A thin, flexible structure is thus obtained which, if desired, may be glued to a Wood surface or other body to be surfaced therewith. Where a richer finish is desired, the tissue sheet may be applied by a second pressing as described under example 1. It should also be noted that in this example it is not essential to employ a barrier sheet because there is no danger of resin being forced from the interior sheets as is the case where ordinary, laminated structures are being formed. However, this barrier sheet does prevent resin from the surface penetrating into the unimpregnated sheet.

Although we have herein specified the use of phenol-furfural and phenol-benzaldehyde resins, itshould be clearly understood that this is only by way of illustration and that other synthetic resin products which are relatively resistant to ordinary solvents and have high mechanical strength could be used. So far as the facing sheet of fine tissue paper is concerned, it should be understood that any fibrous body which is capable of impregnation with a synthetic resin product and which when pressed will have a proper degree of transparency .can be used in lieu thereof. Wherein we have described in the examples the surfacing of only one face, it should be clearly understood that more than one face ma 1 also be so ornamented. The

impregnated with a cementitious substance covering such surface and permanently united therewith.

2. In a composite body, a fibrous sheet or layer impregnated with a synthetic resin, and having an ornamental surface to be protected, and a transparent facing sheet impregnated with a synthetic resin, covering such surface and permanently united therewith.

3. In a composite body, a sheet or layer of fibrous material impregnated with a synthetic resin and having an ornamental surface to be protected, and a transparent paper facing sheet impregnated with synthetic resin, covering such surface and permanently united therewith.

4. In a composite body, a sheet or layer of wood veneer impregnated with a synthetic resin and having an ornamental surface to be protected, and a relatively transparent thin paper facing sheet impregnated with synthetic resin, covering such surface and permanently united therewith.

5. In a composite body, a sheet of fibrous material having an ornamental surface to be protected, a backing therefor, and a facing sheet for protecting said ornamental surface, said facing sheet comprising a relatively transparent thin paper sheet impregnated with a synthetic resin and covering and permanently united with the said ornamental surface.

6. In a composite body, a base composed of fibrous material impregnated with a hard and set synthetic resin, a sheet or layer of fibrous material having an ornamental surface tobe protected, and a 'relativel transparent thin-paper sheet impregnate with a synthetic resin, covering said ornamental surface and permanently united therewith.

7. In a composite body, a laminated base formed of sheets of fibrous material impregnated-with a hardand set synthetic resin, a barrier sheet mounted on said base, a sheet of wood veneer mounted on the barrier sheet and having an ornamental surface to be protected, and a relatively transparent facing sheet of tissue paper impregnated with a synthetic resin covering said ornamental surface and permanently united therewith.

8. The herein-described method which comprises 'molding a body of composite material and cementitious material under the combined action of heat and ressnre to form said body, and subsequent y adding a facing sheet of fibrous material impregnated with a cementitious substance, and applying heat and pressure to cause said facing sheet to be cemented to said body and to harden, set and polish said facing sheets.

9. The herein-described method of forming a laminated composite body, including a sheet having an ornamental face to be pro tected, which comprises impregnating such sheet with a suitable cementitious material, applying a thin sheet of comparatively transparent fibrous material, impregnated with a synthetic resin to said ornamental face, and 'combinin such assembled body under the action of heat and pressure under a laminated composite form.

10. The herein-described method of forming a laminated composite body, including a sheet having an ornamental face to be protected, which comprises applyin a suitable cementitious material to said s eet, applying a sheet of comparatively transparent fibrous material impre nated with'a mixture of phenol-furfural an phenol benzaldehyde resins, applying suitable impregnated fibrous material against the back of said sheet having an ornamental face, and combining the assembled body under the action of heat ind pressure into a laminated oomposite orm.

11. The herein-described method of form-- ing a laminated composite body, including a wood veneer sheet havin an ornamental face to be protected, whic comprises impregnating such sheet with synthetic resin, pressing and polishing the same under the action of heat and ressure, then applying a sheet of comparatlvely trans arent paper also impregnated with a suitable synthetic resin to the ornamental face, and combining the assembled body under the action of heat and pressure.

Signed at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania this 20th day of February A. D. 1924.

EMIL E. NOVOTNY. CHARLES ROMIEUX. 

